PRODUCT TRANSPORT CONTAINERS
Product transport containers are disclosed. Such containers can provide one or more advantages compared to existing containers. For example, product transport containers described herein can maintain a product at a desired temperature for an extended period of time, including without the use of an active heating or cooling component. Such product transport containers described herein may also provide improved breathability, thermal insulation, and/or mechanical strength or dimensional stability. Such containers can include a plurality of walls defining an interior volume and a selectively openable side permitting movement of the product into and out of the interior volume of the container. The walls can be formed from a thermoformed non-woven fabric.
1 - 39 . (canceled)
40 . A method of transporting product in a collapsible product transport container having a plurality of walls formed from a non-woven, dimensionally stable fabric, which walls are attached to one another in a reversible manner and define an interior volume of the product transport container, the method comprising:
(a) charging the phase change material of the product transport container by cooling the phase change material above a phase transition temperature of the phase change material;
(b) after charging the phase change material, placing a product in the interior volume of the product transport container by opening a side of the product transport container and inserting the product into the interior volume of the product transport container;
(c) transporting the product transport container with the product contained within the interior volume of the product transport container while passively cooling the interior volume of the product transport container by the phase change material; and
(d) after transporting the product, opening the side of the product transport container and withdrawing the product from the interior volume of the product transport container; and
after performing said steps (a)-(d),
(e) again, charging the phase change material of the product transport container by cooling the phase change material above the phase transition temperature of the phase change material;
(f) after charging the phase change material again, placing another product in the interior volume of the product transport container by opening the side of the product transport container and inserting the other product into the interior volume of the product transport container;
(g) transporting the product transport container with the other product contained within the interior volume of the product transport container while passively cooling the interior volume of the product transport container by the phase change material; and
(h) after transporting the other product, opening the side of the product transport container and withdrawing the other product from the interior volume of the product transport container.
41 . A method of transporting product in a collapsible product transport container having a plurality of walls formed from a non-woven, dimensionally stable fabric, which walls are attached to one another in a reversible manner and define an interior volume of the product transport container, the method comprising:
(a) charging the phase change material of the product transport container by cooling the phase change material above a phase transition temperature of the phase change material;
(b) after charging the phase change material, placing a product in the interior volume of the product transport container;
(c) transporting the product transport container with the product contained within the interior volume of the product transport container while passively cooling the interior volume of the product transport container by the phase change material; and
(d) after transporting the product, withdrawing the product from the interior volume of the product transport container; and
after performing said steps (a)-(d),
(e) again, charging the phase change material of the product transport container by cooling the phase change material above the phase transition temperature of the phase change material;
(f) after charging the phase change material again, placing another product in the interior volume of the product transport container;
(g) transporting the product transport container with the other product contained within the interior volume of the product transport container while passively cooling the interior volume of the product transport container by the phase change material; and
(h) after transporting the other product, withdrawing the other product from the interior volume of the product transport container.